Backcountry Fix

Posted: January 22, 2015

With starting up some splitboard camps with Altus mountain guides (altusmountainguides.com) I wanted to continue to share some of the info learned through my time splitboarding. So here's the first backcountry fix..

You're skinning up to a new line, way in the backcountry, you slip a little and catch yourself with a pole. SNAP!! Your pole is in 2 pieces. What to do? Call it for the day or try and fix it and keep the day going?

Having dealt with this a few times here's a Backcountry Fix for the pole to keep the day going. While a little bulky, it works surprisingly well.

You need duct tape or first aid tape (you have some right?), some pinky/finger sized branches, hopefully a few ski straps and a friend to lend an extra hand.

1. Line up the pieces and put a wrap of tape to keep them that way

2. Cut enough branches about the size and length of your fingers.

3. Start a partial wrap of tape on the pole then line up the branches and give them a good tight wrap. Get enough branches to encircle the pole (usually 5-6 pieces).

4. Start wrapping tape on the pole, then over the branches, then back onto the other portion of the pole. This will help keep both poles from separating.

5. if you have ski straps wrap them tightly around the branches to add some extra structural strength. If you don't have them, just go for lots of tape.